The 30-year-old migrant from Ivory Coast who was found dead in Hal Far on Sunday evening died from skull fractures and cerebral laceration, an autopsy has revealed.

Adam Dabete, who was a resident at the Hal Far open centre, was found partially buried under a carob tree in a field in Triq tal-Gebel in Birzebbuga, limits of Hal Far after friends noticed a pool of blood and followed the traces to the carob tree.

They noticed a part of the victim’s right foot peeping out of the soil where he was buried, and then told the open centre authorities of their discovery. Unofficial reports had indicated that the victim might have been hit in the head sometime on Saturday, but this had not been confirmed.

A migrant, who was also from Ivory Coast, was being held by the police in connection with the murder, according to reports, as he was suspected to be responsible for the murder.